Make To Learn Director

Arizona State University; Mesa (AZ); On-site; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Arizona State University is looking for a Make To Learn Director to lead innovative game development for educational purposes. The role involves managing production pipelines and interdisciplinary teams, creating impactful games that educate while entertaining. This position offers flexibility and competitive compensation based on experience.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefit plans

Access to educational opportunities at discounted rates

Flexible work options

Qualifications

• At least ten years of experience in the games industry, five in a leadership role.
• Track record of shipping successful games at scale.
• Proficient in game production pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Lead full game production cycles from concept to launch.
• Manage production schedules, budgets, and team workflows.
• Serve as a liaison to external studios and vendors.

Skills

Game Production Management

Leadership

Communication

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Game Design, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

Jira

Trello

Confluence

Job description

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Department Statement

The Herberger Institute comprises six schools: ASU FIDM; the School of Art; the School of Arts, Media and Engineering; The Design School; The Sidney Poitier New American Film School; and the School of Music, Dance and Theatre; and two museums: ASU Art Museum and the ASU FIDM Museum. With programs ranked top 20 and more than 125 degree and certificate options in art, dance, design, fashion, film, media arts and sciences, and more, plus a top university art museum, a leading immersive media facility, and national and international partnerships, the Herberger Institute is a powerhouse of art, culture and design and a model of excellence.

Department Statement

The Herberger Institute comprises six schools: ASU FIDM; the School of Art; the School of Arts, Media and Engineering; The Design School; The Sidney Poitier New American Film School; and the School of Music, Dance and Theatre; and two museums: ASU Art Museum and the ASU FIDM Museum. With programs ranked top 20 and more than 125 degree and certificate options in art, dance, design, fashion, film, media arts and sciences, and more, plus a top university art museum, a leading immersive media facility, and national and international partnerships, the Herberger Institute is a powerhouse of art, culture and design and a model of excellence.

Our mission is to position designers, artists, scholars and educators at the center of public life and prepare them to use their creative capacities to advance culture, build community and imaginatively address today’s most pressing challenges.

The vision of the Herberger Institute is to advance the New American University by embedding designers, artists and arts-based inquiry at its core and throughout the communities it serves locally, nationally and internationally. With almost 9,000 students and more than 750 faculty members, the Herberger Institute is committed to redefining the 21st-century design and arts school.

As part of Arizona State University, the most innovative university in the nation, the Herberger Institute seeks to drive and scale new ways for arts and design to have impact in our world. We invite you to join our work.

Values

• Creativity as a core 21st-century competency
• Design and the arts as critical resources for transforming our society
• Innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship
• Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration and research
• Social embeddedness
• Projecting all voices
• Excellence
  
  

https://herbergerinstitute.asu.edu/

Why work @ASU - https://cfo.asu.edu/why-work-asu: Total compensation at ASU is defined as more than the salary paid for the valuable work performed to support the success of our ASU students. It includes:

• Salary and wages paid
• Comprehensive package of affordable benefit plans and programs
• Access to world-class educational opportunities at deeply discounted rates
• ASU's total compensation estimator shows the approximate value of your overall compensation
  
  

ASU is an enterprise with a wide variety of work and learning modes, locations and a commitment to sustainability, innovation and employee work-life balance. We are determined to maintain our position as an employer of choice in a competitive labor market.

Flexible work options

• Alternative work schedules can include four, 10-hour workdays in a workweek; a nine-day, 80-hour schedule over two workweeks for exempt employees only; and staggered start and stop times.
• Hybrid work is an arrangement where employees spend a minimum of 60% of their regular workweek at their primary ASU work location. Dean or vice president-level approval is required.
  
  

Apply before 11:59 PM Arizona time the day before the posted End Date.

Job Profile

Administrative Operations Manager 4

Job Family

Administrative Operations

Time Type

Full time

Max Pay – Depends On Experience

$175,000.00 USD Annual

Job Description

The Endless Games and Learning Lab at Arizona State University is seeking a Make to Learn Director, a seasoned game producer, who will lead the development and delivery of innovative, high-impact games that support our mission: learning through play. Based at the MIX Center in Mesa, AZ, you will manage production pipelines and interdisciplinary teams, ensuring projects ship on time, on budget, and to the highest quality standards. You’ll bring deep industry experience — having shipped commercial games at scale — and apply it in a collaborative, experimental environment that bridges game development, education, and research. You’ll help us reimagine what learning games can be: not gamified lessons, but real games that players want to play — and that happen to teach.

The Endless Games and Learning Lab represents a new era in education. By merging cutting-edge technology and engaging game environments, the Lab redefines the future of games, learning, and opportunity, empowering individuals and communities worldwide. At the Endless Games and Learning Lab, you'll be at the forefront of educational innovation, working to create scalable learning solutions that reach millions of learners worldwide. Our collaborative environment fosters creativity and interdisciplinary research, offering a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the field of game-based learning.

Salary Range: $125,000 - $175,000: DOE

Essential Duties

• Lead full game production cycles from concept to launch (and live ops, where applicable).
• Develop and manage production schedules, budgets, deliverables, and team workflows.
• Translate creative vision and pedagogical intent into executable production plans.
• Direct cross-functional teams including artists, designers, engineers, researchers, and students.
• Establish and maintain best-in-class pipelines for QA, versioning, testing, and publishing.
• Mentor junior producers, student contributors, and collaborators on industry-standard production practices.
• Serve as the main point of contact for external studios, vendors, and licensors.
• Collaborate with lab leadership to align product strategy with research, funding, and institutional goals.
• Track KPIs such as development velocity, player engagement, and learning efficacy.
• Drive a culture of creativity, collaboration, and purpose-driven innovation.
  
  

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Game Design, Computer Science, Media Arts, or a related field AND
• At least ten (10) years of experience in the games industry, including five (5) years in a production or leadership role; OR any equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved.
• Track record of shipping successful games at scale (mobile, console, PC, or live service).
• Strong understanding of game production pipelines and best practices.
• Proficiency in tools such as Jira, Trello, Confluence, and source control systems.
• Familiarity with Unity, Unreal, or Godot engines.
• Ability to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders, timelines, and priorities.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, experimental, and highly collaborative environment.
• Experience working with student teams or in a university/R&D setting is a plus.
  
  

Working Environment

• Activities are performed in an environmentally controlled office setting subject to extended periods of sitting, keyboarding and manipulating a computer mouse 75 percent
• Required to stand for varying lengths of time and walk moderate distances to perform work 10 percent.
• Ability to communicate effectively to perform essential functions.
• Frequent bending, reaching, lifting, pushing and pulling up to 25 pounds 15 percent.
• Regular activities require ability to quickly change priorities, which may include or are subject to resolution of conflicts.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and nine (9) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field including five (5) years managerial experience; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Driving Requirement

Driving is not required for this position.

Location:

Off-Campus: Mesa/Tempe

Funding

No Federal Funding

Instructions to Apply

Current Employees And Students Should Apply Directly Within Workday Using The Jobs Hub. Use This Link And Log In Using SSO

https://www.myworkday.com/asu/d/inst/1$9925/9925$8001.htmld

To be considered, your application must include all of the following attachments:

• Cover letter
• Resume/CV
  
  

Note: Multiple documents can be submitted into the attachment box. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission.

Please include all employment information in month/year format (e.g., 6/88 to 8/94), job title, job duties and name of employer for each position. Resume should clearly illustrate how prior knowledge and experience meets the Minimum and Desired qualifications of this position. NOTE: GA and Intern positions are counted as .5 for job experience (ie. 1 year equals 6 months experience equivalency). Only electronic applications are accepted for this position.

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ASU Statement

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 100,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation's fifth largest city. ASU champions inclusive excellence, and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe.

ASU is a tobacco-free university. For details visit https://wellness.asu.edu/explore-wellness/body/alcohol-and-drugs/tobacco

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

Notice of Availability of the ASU Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf. You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.

Relocation Assistance – For information about schools, housing child resources, neighborhoods, hospitals, community events, and taxes, visit https://cfo.asu.edu/az-resources.

Employment Verification Statement

ASU conducts pre-employment screening which may include verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications.

Background Check Statement

ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications. Employment is contingent upon successful passing of the background check.

Fingerprint Check Statement

This position is considered safety/security sensitive and will include a fingerprint check. Employment is contingent upon successful passing of the fingerprint check.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Other

• Industries

  Higher Education

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